Delhi High Court Demands More Than Refunds from IndiGo for December Flight Chaos
In a significant development, the Delhi High Court recently instructed IndiGo to provide a clear explanation of its strategy for compensating air travelers severely affected by extensive flight cancellations last December. The court underscored that simply returning ticket money might not be enough to adequately address the hardships endured by passengers caught in the crisis.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia questioned IndiGo's legal counsel, stating, "Apart from refunding fares, what are the civil aviation rules for compensation? Please file an affidavit about compensation." This directive came after the airline confirmed it had processed refunds for the disrupted flights.
Court Questions IndiGo's Voucher Compensation Plan
IndiGo's lawyer informed the court that for flights experiencing the "most severely impacted" disruptions, the airline was offering a travel voucher worth Rs 10,000 to each passenger. A dedicated website was reportedly established for passengers to claim these compensation vouchers. However, the court expressed skepticism about this method, questioning, "You know who the flyers are; why do they need to claim compensation?" The bench then reiterated its demand for an affidavit on this matter within two weeks.
Petitioners Advocate for Cash Compensation
The court's proceedings were initiated by a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocates Akhil Rana and Utkarsh Sharma. Their petition sought directives for the Central government to ensure support and financial reimbursement for travelers impacted by hundreds of IndiGo flight cancellations during the specified period. The petitioners argued strongly that any compensation should be in the form of money, rather than restrictive vouchers.
They highlighted that IndiGo's travel vouchers often came with a specific time limit for utilization. While the airline's counsel stated the vouchers were valid for 12 months, which the judges found to be a "reasonable" timeframe, the court still inquired about potential options for passengers unable to utilize the vouchers within that year.
Regulatory Actions and Penalties Following Investigation
Both the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed the court about decisive steps taken by authorities to prevent similar disruptions in the future. According to the Centre's counsel, an inquiry committee's report led to significant actions against IndiGo.
- IndiGo's senior vice-president for operations was asked to step down.
- A substantial penalty of Rs 22 crore was imposed on the airline for its failure to adhere to new flight roster norms.
- The airline was directed to furnish a bank guarantee of Rs 50 crore to ensure compliance with regulatory directives and implement long-term systemic corrections.
- Warnings were issued to several key personnel, including the Chief Operating Officer, a Director, the Deputy Head of Flight Operations, and a resource analyst.
The full inquiry report was presented to the court in a confidential, sealed envelope, detailing the findings that led to these measures.
Understanding the December Flight Disruptions
The December crisis, specifically between December 3rd and 5th, saw IndiGo cancel a staggering 2,507 flights and delay another 1,852. This widespread disruption impacted more than 300,000 passengers across the country. The subsequent inquiry revealed a critical failing: IndiGo was not adequately prepared to implement the new flight duty norms for its pilots, which was identified as a primary cause of the extensive travel chaos.
